Yes folks, it’s finally here or at least it will be if the 3D Virtual Tabletop Kickstarter makes its goal! Move over Fantasy Grounds, Roll20, and d20Pro, a new contender for the best interactive online tabletop program has just stepped up to the plate and the product’s meager sample offerings are far to scrumptious to pass up. The first thing many folks will say is that this isn’t true 3D VTT because there aren’t any 3D miniatures. Well my friends, I’m happy to announce that developer Brendon Duncan has just announced 3D minis as one of the first stretch goals for this project.

This VTT program actually already exists as an app for iPad, iPhone, Android, and Mac, all of which I picked up and demoed as soon as I found out about them. After playing around with the program a bit, importing maps and character tokens, I knew this was something I had to get my hands on.

The main goal of this Kickstarter is to make 3D Virtual Tabletop network based, so you can run games with your friends online. Think of the possibilities! After the initial funding goal is met, the networking feature will be locked in and more goods added including functionality for multiple platforms like Windows, Mac, and Linux, as well as the 3D minis I talked about earlier. I am very excited to see this new VTT program explode onto the virtual battlefield causing the entire online tabletop community to take notice and other developers to up their game.

Here’s more info on the Kickstarter as well as a snazzy demo video!

What is 3D Virtual Tabletop?

It is a virtual tabletop application that allows you to play pen & paper roleplaying games, as well as strategy/board games with others, as you would sitting around a real table, limited only by your imagination. It can be used on iPad, iPhone and Android devices.

3D Virtual Tabletop is about recreating the physical experience of using miniatures or tokens on a map.

Other virtual tabletops today look nothing like this simulation. They leave your poor character defined by what the top of their head looks like. What’s more exciting? A full-body view where you can see a character’s pose as they stand up to fight and stare down their enemies! Don’t you want to see the ogre or dragon towering above your party, so that you can more fully experience what they’e going through?

Now,for the first time ever, you can use a virtual tabletop that looks and feels like the real thing.

Play games like Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons, Savage Worlds, Rolemaster Classic, Castles & Crusades or Call of Cthulhu. Maps and miniature portraits are easy to add from anywhere, even for use with BattleTech or other tactical combat games.

What makes 3D Virtual Tabletop special?

FAITHFUL AND IMMERSIVE VISUALS
The first thing that puts 3D Virtual Tabletop ahead of the pack is its faithful visual representation of the physical items on the tabletop, be it an RPG map or a board game layout. The virtual miniatures look almost exactly like the real “pawn” style minis, a piece of printed card slotted into a plastic base.

SUPER-INTUITIVE 3D NAVIGATION
It’s really easy to zoom in and out and manipulate the map to see it from any angle, from top-down to over your character’s shoulder. Using the intuitive touchscreen to rotate, pivot and zoom makes navigating a dream.

NATIVE ON MOBILE
3D Virtual Tabletop improves on all the existing alternatives as a native mobile app. This allows it to look amazing and incorporate the touchscreen. Because it’s running on your tablet or mobile, it doesn’t hide you from your friends around the table and takes up much less space – more room for snacks!

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About Jonathan G. Nelson

Jonathan G. Nelson is the editor-in-chief and owner of NERD TREK. He is also owner/publisher at AAW Games / AdventureAWeek.com, a tabletop gaming company based in Snoqualmie, WA.
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